Phoenix
by Finnick Mellark
Summary: Katniss and Peeta's son is reaped for the Fourth Quarter Quell,as well as Gale's daughter
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Deep in The Meadow

I open my eyes and take in my surroundings. Cleo is quietly snoring next to me; I lie on my back under the old willow in the Meadow of District 12. Everything is so beautiful, it reminds me of some old song lyrics. "_If I lay here, If I_ _just lay here, would lie with me and just forget the world." _When I sing the lyrics, all the Mockingjays in the willow fall silent, just as they do for mother and her father before her. My singing also causes Cleo to rise. "Finnick, Where are we?" Cleo says dazedly

"The Meadow." I say, "We fell asleep watching clouds." "Oh," Cleo says with a smile. "Let's get back to that." We fall back into the grass, staring into the blue looking for shapes in the clouds. "I see a squirrel with a nut in his paws." Cleo says. "Look at that one it's a tree." I say.

"Okay, Look at that it's an elephant pushing a stroller." Cleo says. "How is that even possible?" I say, laughing. "Who cares?" Cleo replies. "Ooh, ooh, Look at that one it's a wolf chasing a deer." I say.

"Yeah, wouldn't that be nice." Cleo says being the hunter that she is. "What'd we get this morning?" I ask. Cleo opens the game bag. "A squirrel, two rabbits, a turkey and a couple catfish." "That's pretty good." I say, "Yeah, Well I'd better go get ready for the reaping." Cleo says standing. "Yeah, I'm going to go to the bakery." I say. "See you there Finnick." Cleo says jogging down the hill. "Hawthorne!" I shout after her. Cleo stops and turns around. "Wear something pretty." I say with a smile. "Try to look handsome, Mellark!" Cleo retorts. I smile and take off down the other side of the hill toward my family's bakery, game bag over shoulder. I arrive at the old rundown Mellark family bakery. I walk inside to find my mother and older sister, Prim behind the counter helping customers. I wave before going into the kitchen to help to help my father and younger sister Johanna. "Finnick!" Johanna says "Hanna." I say. Johanna (or Hanna for short) is five years old, and she like my mother and I, is an amazing singer. "Finnick, I need you to ice those cupcakes right there." My father says. "What are they for?" I ask. "They're for Cecelia Richards' 10th birthday." my father answers. I decide to put some flowers and butterflies on them. When I finish frosting the cupcakes it is time to close up. We all walk home and get ready for the reaping. My outfit isn't anything exciting, just a nice grey t-shirt, khaki shorts and some checkerboard sneakers. I walk out into the living room to find my family sitting on the couch. "Sit down Finnick," My mother says. "We have something we want to give you, in case you get reaped." I sit down and my father reaches into his pocket. He produces his old locket. "Here, I want you to have this." he says. I hold the locket in my hand, it looks like my mother's mockingjay pin and when I open it, I find pictures of my family as well as pictures of my friends. "Thanks, dad." I say. We all walk to the District Square, where everyone in the district is waiting for the reaping to begin. We stand by Cleo's family. "Good Morning Mellarks." Cleo's father says. "Good Morning Gale, Johanna." My parents say. "Where's Cleo?" I ask. "She's right up there by Autumn and Winter." Cleo's mom Johanna says. I walk up to my friends. "Hi guys." I say. My friends turn around. Winter and Autumn are also friends of mine. They are twin brother and sister; They both have the Seam looks brown hair green eyes and olive skin. They are both in fancy clothes, which is possible because their mom is a Victor of the Hunger Games. She won when she was 18 and at the time she was pregnant with Autumn and Winter.

Cleo looks absolutely amazing in her reaping outfit. Her blue dress really brings out the blue in her grey eyes and her brown hair is combed beautifully. "Whoa, Cleo you look awesome!" I say. "You don't look too bad yourself, Finnick." Cleo says. We turn towards the stage to see Haymitch Abernathy the mentor for this years tributes, walking up to the stage. Haymitch is an older guy in his early 70's, he's got salt and pepper hair and green eyes, his skin is weathered from age, and Next to step on the stage is our Capitol escort, Rainy Sunsets. A stupid name for a stupid personality, She wears a blue and yellow dress and her hair is dyed blue with streaks of yellow in it as well, Absolutely ridiculous, in my opinion. The last person onstage is Mayor Collins. The Reaping begins with a speech from Mayor Collins. "As you all may or may not know, This year is the 100th Hunger Games, and a Quell Year." A screen comes down in front the stage. An image of the Capitol seal appears on the screen and is quickly replaced with an image of President Jacqueline Frost. "Hello Districts, as your Mayor should have just explained it is the 100th Hunger Games and also the Centennial of the Hunger Games." A small boy in a powder blue suit holds up a box with a 100 on it. President Frost opens it. "On the 100th Anniversary of the Hunger Games, to remind the districts that in rebellion the country grows weaker, Each tribute will be injected with a slow-acting poison that will weaken them to the point of death, unless they can find one of the antidotes hidden in the arena." She closes the box. "Happy Hunger Games and May the Odds be ever in your favor." Then the Capitol seal appears again and fades to black. "Well let's begin." Rainy says. She digs around in the big glass ball with the girls names in it "The female tribute is Cleo Hawthorne." No! Not Cleo. I grab her arm. I hear her parents crying behind me. "Cleo, No, You can't!" I say. "Finnick, I have to." She pulls away. She reaches the stage. Rainy asks for volunteers, No one speaks up.

"Now for the male tribute." Rainy pulls a name out of the male ball. "Finnick Mellark." The odds are not in my favor today. Cleo and I are both going into the arena,one or both of us could die. But, I should've seen it coming. I hear my mother crying behind me. Hanna runs up to me and gives me a hug. "Finnick, don't die." I am holding back tears now. I walk up to the stage. Cleo and I shake hands as instructed. The wind picks up blowing Rainy's hair as she reads the Treaty of Treason and then Mockingjay's Surrender. I feel my fist tighten. The way she reads sounds like she's mocking me.

What happens next is so fast. I hear a sound I would know anywhere, the soft pluck of an arrow being released from a bow. Next I see it the black arrow coming right at me. Then with a gust of wind the arrow changes direction and is now going straight towards Cleo. Instinct and adrenaline kicks in, I rock back on my heels and lurch forward. My hands catch Cleo's shoulders. I close my eyes and I hear a loud crash. When I open my eyes Cleo and I lay in the glass of the male reaping ball. The District is going absolutely crazy, families run from the square, Peacekeepers shout orders to no prevail.

Curiousity gets the best of me and I pick a handful of the papers. "Finnick Mellark, Finnick Mellark, Finnick Mellark." I read. I should've known every paper in the bowl had our names on them. Two hands clamp down on my shoulders picking me up carrying me to a hovercraft. The Peacekeeper throws me in and another comes in with Cleo in his hands. The hovercraft lifts off leaving District 12 , the only home I've ever known.


	2. Chapter 2

**Cleo and I sit in the passenger's quarters of the hovercraft with Haymitch and Rainy.  
>Rainy has yet to shut up since we got on the hovercraft, yammering on and on about manners, and how excited she is for the games.<br>Cleo and I have bandages around our forearms, a television shows the reapings.  
>A few of the tributes are familiar to me because their parents are Rebels, Nike Paylor of District 2, Neptune Odair, and Anna-Sophia (or just Sophie for short) Mason from 7. Nike's mother is the Commander of the Rebel Army in District 2, Neptune's father was killed in the second rebellion and his mother has mental problems, Sophie's mother is a victor like my parents are.<br>The program ends with District 12. We watch as they call our names and then when the arrow is fired and I tackle Cleo. The camera pans around looking for the shooter, to no prevail. The program ends and Haymitch turns off the television.  
>"Haymitch, do you have any advice for us?" Cleo asks.<br>"When we get to the Capitol, you'll be in the hands of your stylists." Haymitch says, "I want you to do whatever they say, No ifs ands or buts about it."  
>We both nod. We reach the Capitol, the hovercraft lands and immediately, people with cameras hound us. A woman leads us to the Remake Center. We get in the elevator and within second we are on our floor and our prep teams have descent on us.<br>They start by making me bathe in a gritty soap that has removed all dirt and about 3 layers of skin, leaving me a pinkish color. They also bathe me in about three different solutions and rip off any chest hair I have and shave my face. They give me a mint-green pill to swallow.  
>Now, a woman with icy blue skin and snow-white hair with sapphires woven into it trims and combs my hair.<br>"You are doing very well, usually tributes are very whiny." says Venus, a woman with bright red hair and tattoos of hearts and roses all over her skin.  
>She and Tigran, a man with bright orange hair with streaks of black in it and black stripes tattooed on his bright orange skin, begin to rub me down with a lotion that stings but then soothes the tingling from the soap and brings my skin back to it's normal color.<br>They finish and circle around my naked body examining their work. Under normal circumstances, I would be very self-conscious. But, these people are so ridiculous it doesn't even bother me.  
>"Wonderful, You almost look like a human being." gushes Khione. The prep team laughs and I force a smile.<br>"Thanks, We don't really have reason to look good in District 12. " I say  
>"Don't worry Finnick." Venus says, "When Hestia is done with you, You'll be the most handsome boy District 12 has ever had."<br>"Let's call her." Tigran says, with that my prep team darts out the door, leaving me all by myself. I expected my prep team to be easier to hate, like Rainy yammering on and on about how excited they are for the games in the way that makes the people in the districts sick, But they're so numb, so naïve and they seem like they sincerely want to help me.  
>I wait for a while until Hestia walks in. Hestia is surprisingly normal, free of all Capitol 'enhancements', but beautiful nonetheless. She has long strawberry-blonde hair, and green eyes. She wears a simple black shirt, pants and shoes.<strong>

**"Hello" I say with caution.  
>"Hey, just give me a second." Hestia begins pacing around me, taking in every inch of my body. "Okay, why don't you put on that robe and follow me."<br>I follow her orders and we go into a large room. Three of the walls are painted blue and have paintings on them. The fourth is made entirely out of clear glass so you can look out into the large city. There are two chairs waiting for us, with a glass table between them. I sit down and Hestia sits across from me. "You're new aren't you?" I ask.  
>"Yes, it is my first year as a stylist." Hestia says.<br>"So, they gave you District 12." I say frowning.  
>"No, I asked for District 12, you see my parents, Cinna and Portia, were once stylists for District 12." Hestia says.<br>"You're Cinna and Portia's daughter."  
>"Yes, I am." Hestia says.<br>"But, How?" I ask  
>"I was born before my mother was killed."<br>"Oh, I'm sorry for asking."  
>"Would you like some lunch?"<br>Hestia pushes a button; the table opens and reveals our lunch.  
>The lunch is chicken in orange sauce, a garden salad, strawberries, fresh Capitol bread, and a glass of water.<br>We eat quietly.  
>"So, what's the outfit, this year?" I ask.<br>"Well, they've been doing the fire thing for the last 25 years," Hestia says. "So, we're doing something different."  
>"Okay,"<br>"What does fire produce?"  
>"Smoke?" I answer quizzically. "Oh wait, Electricity."<br>"Yes!"  
>"But, isn't that District Three's thing?" I ask<br>"No, they focus on the machinery part."  
>"Well then, what are we still sitting here for?"<strong>

**An hour and a half later, I find myself standing in front of a mirror. But the person looking back at me looks nothing like Finnick Mellark. I'm dressed in a black outfit. All over the outfit are different colored lights and bolts of lightning that will turn on with a flip of a switch on my collar, the outfit shimmers like coal in the light. A black masquerade mask with it's own set of twinkling lights is put on my face, and a long cape goes down my back.  
>"You ready?" Hestia asks.<br>I follow Hestia out of the changing room and into the hallway where Cleo waits.  
>She is dressed in an outfit similar to my own. She also had streaks of gold in her chocolate brown hair.<br>"Cleo, you look shocking." I grin  
>"Good one, Finnick." She shakes her head.<br>We get in the elevator and go down to the bottom floor of the Remake Center where we begin for the chariot rides.  
>Our chariot looks as elegant as our costumes, with twinkling lights and bolts of electricity of it's own, the chariot is going two be pulled by two black horses.<br>"Mrs. Hawthorne, our chariot awaits." I say motioning for her to get in.  
>"Thanks Finnick" She sits down.<br>Her stylist, Armani, positions her mask on her face. He flips the switches, and our costumes come alive. The cape turns into bright bolts of lightning, the lights twinkle and the lightning bolts glow.  
>Cleo looks dazzling. And I must, too.<br>"Remember, Heads high. Smile! They're going to love you!" he says.  
>District 10 leaves the chariot barn and Armani hurries off towards where Hestia, Rainy, and Haymitch are standing. Haymitch is saying something that I cannot hear. "What's he saying?" I ask Cleo.<br>"I think he wants us to hold hands." She replies.  
>I wrap my fingers around Cleo's and look back to Haymitch for confirmation. He nods and gives me thumbs up. That is the last thing I see before entering the city.<strong>


End file.
